Folding bed



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FOLDING BED.

Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

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Patented Dc. 11, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD T. BARTON- 0F NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

,FOLDING BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,742, dated December 11, 1894'.

Application filed Pebruaryll, 1893. Serial No. 462,340. (No-model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD T. BARTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New Haven, in the county of New'Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented cer floor space, combined with all the other conveniences that a full sized bed would possess when it is opened.

To this end my invention consists in making the cabinet into which thebed isfolded of the same length as a-full size bed, and but one half of its width, the bed proper being divided longitudinally through the center into two parts, or in other words, two full length sections, each section representing one half of the bed, one of said sections being pivotally supported by one end to'the lower part of the cabinet; the other or second section pivotally supported to the first, and arranged to unfold therefrom, to form a full size bed.

My invention further consists in the novel arrangement of hinging the two sections to each other, whereby the second section is arranged to be swung to the right or left ofthe first section, which section is central with-the standing cabinet, so as to make a-right or left hand bed. By this arrangement, thecabine't may stand in any corner of the room and the bed opened away fromthe wall without moving the cabinet.

Further, my invention consistsin the novel arrangement of a weight carrying receptacle for balancing the bed on its fulcrum point in the cabinet, novel means'provided for a free circulation of air between the mattresses, and novel arrangements whereby closet room is provided for thebedd-ingor other purposes. all of which improvements will be more fully set forth in the following specification and such features as I believe to be new and" novel particularly pointed out in the claims to follow.

To enable others to understand m'ysaid inffirst and the latter the second'section.

first section 3 is journaled on the shaft 5, which shaftpasses through the sides of the exten- Fig. 2, is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1, {showing the bed' sections dropped from the cabinet, the first section resting on the floor and the second section folded upon the first. Fig. 3, is also a front elevation similar to Fig. 2, but showing the bed'unfolded and the head boards raised and locked. Fig. 4:, is a plan View of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of arrow a with the head and foot boards closed. Fig. 5,is an (and elevation of the beds detached from the cabinet, looking in the direction of arrow 12, Fig. 4. Fig. 6, is a front elevation of the cabinet and section of its foot through line a of Fig. 8, and section of the pivoted part of ther'bed extension through line 2;; the bed sections being removed from this view so asto show more clearly the position of the weight box when the bed sections are lowered, and also the manner in which it is operated by the bed. Fig. 7, is a detail sectional elevation of the weight box through line w of Fig. 8, showing the lid raised, and also weights placed in the box. Fig. 8, is a side elevation of the bed, and longitudinal central section of the cabinet showing the folded bed midway between the floor and the cabinet. Fig. 9, is a side elevation of the cabinet looking in the direction of arrow 0, Fig. 1, showing one of the cabinet-side closets opened and the manner of disposing of the bed weights when not in use. Fig. 10, is a detail section and front elevation of the bed extension through line 2) of Fig. 8, showing the manner of securing the weight-box lifting levers'also shown therein, to thesaid extension. Fig. 11, is a broken sectional side elevation of the bed extension through line :20 of Fig. 8.

Its construction and operation are as follows: i

1 represents the cabinet; 2, side closetsattached thereto. 3 and 4 are the bed sections. The former for convenience may be called the This too sion d of said section, and also through sides of the cabinet 1. The two levers 6 are also journaled on theshaft 5. The bed extension (1 and also the levers 6 may, if required, be 5 securely fastened to the shaft 5 while the projecting ends of said shaft are journaled in the side frames of the cabinet 1. I prefer however to secure these levers more firmly to such extension in the manner shown in Figs. 10 and 11, wherein said levers are brought against the end 6 of the bed extension (1, while the brace 7 placed firmly between the side walls f and overlying said levers, will render them secure against any possibility of shifting. The projecting ends of said levers are connected together by the rod 8, and this rod,--see Figs. 7 and 8is adapted to engage in the elongated slot g of the weight box 8. By this means the bed and weight box are ac fulcrumed upon the shaft 5. The said box is provided on each side with guides 71 which engage in slots 2' provided on the inside of the cabinet side pieces,-one of which slots is seen at Fig. 8-for the purpose of keeping 2 5 said box in a vertical position while being raised or lowered by the movement of the bed. The other section 4 of the bedsee Figs. 2 and 8when let down from the cabinet is folded upon the first section 3, and these sections are hinged together in a manner presently to be described. When, therefore, the folded sections are dropped from the cabinet so that the legs j of section 3 rest upon the floor, as shown more particularly at Fig. 2, 3 5 the section 4 is turned over on its hinged or pivotal point until its legs 70 also rest on the floor. This operation ranges the two sections alongside of each other, forming thereby a full size bed. t

On each four corners of the two bed sections 3 and 4, are the metal eyes Z and m through which is passed a pin n, thus form ing a hinge for said'sections. 4, the section 4 is shown opened to the left 5 of the cabinet. All, therefore, thatis required to open said section to the right, is simply to withdraw the hinge pin it and insert it in the right hand corner eyes of the sections, when the upper section can be turned to the right as shown in Fig. 5. This arrangement is very desirable for then the cabinet may stand in any corner of the room and the bed unfolded away from the wall or away from any other article of furniture in close proximity thereto. The head-boards 9 and 10, as well as the foot-boards 11 and 12,-see Fig. 4are hinged to each of their respective sections as shown, and when the bed is unfolded they are raised and may be locked together as shown in Fig. 3, wherein the head-board 9 is provided with the bolt 13, operatively mounted in the staples 14. 15 are staples placed at opposite edges of the other head-board 10, so that one of them may be engaged by the bolt 13 when the section 4 is arranged at the right or left of section 3. On the ,bottom of the bed section 4see Fig. 8-is the box 16 having the lid In Figs. 3 and 17. This box is arranged to hold. pillows or other articles of bedding. 1 On the upper surface of the lid 17 are placed the lugs 7.2, which, as before mentioned, act as feet for such bed section, when it is opened as shown at Fig.

The weights 17 ,Fig. 7are simply iron disks provided with a central hole so as to be dropped over the pins 18 pr jecting from the bottom of the box 8. This arrangement of the pins enables the weights to be kept in place and not rattle about the interior of the box and make a noise when the bed is raised or lowered. As such pins arejust high enough to clear the box lid 19 when closed and locked,

there is no danger of the weights being thrown therefrom by any unusual disturbance of the cabinet. This is quite an important feature as the bed is supposed to be so nicely balanced that it will remain in any position ranging between the perpendicular and horizontal, so that, in case of an accidental removal of a weight, an accident would not be liable to occur in lowering the bed. Any

change of clothing on the bed will also require a change in the weights. Therefore the weights are kept in the closets 2, as shown at Fig. 9, and on the pins 20 projecting from the bottom thereof. These closets are also available for other articles and may extend the full length of the cabinet. 1 i

In use, it will be desirable that each bed section be provided with its own individual mattress and springs, so that the sections will fold readily. Another advantage in this respect, is the convenience of airing one mattress in case of sickness while the patient is occupyingtheother. When the bed is opened, the curtain21,see Fig. 6-which is attached to a roller-not shownin the topof the cabinet, can be pulled down so as to hide the open space therein. 1

In closing the bed, the pillows are removed if desired, the sections folded upon each other, as before mentioned, the pillows placed in the box 17 and the folded sections closed into the cabinet, and when so disposed of, the whole structure will occupy but one half the space of the full size bed.

I provide a novel arrangement for airing the bedding when closed, which consists in cutting down a portion of the sides of each of the bed sections, as at 13 Fig. 4, which will leave a wide open space, see also Fig. 8, between the two sections when they are arranged one upon the other. This will allow the air to circulate freely between the mattresses which could not be so conveniently and fully provided for except in the arrangementof hinging the bed sections at their edges and folding one over the other as shown.

The glass q,see Figs. 1 and 9-is set in the bottom of the first bed section so than-when the bed is closed, it is available as a dressing case. The shelf 7 while not necessary to be used as a leg for the first section when lowered can be used as a shelf when the section is elevated.

The cabinet when closed can be tilted either back-see Fig. 9or forward in using the glass for the purpose before mentioned.

It will be observed that when the bed is folded within the cabinet, the pillow box 16 protrudes through the same, as shown at Fig. 9, so that said box is always accessible as a closet and may be opened when in such a position without dropping the section.

I claim- 1. In a folding bed, the narrow standing skeleton cabinet 1, narrow bed sections 3 and 4, the first section 3 having the extension d, by means of which said first section is pivotally supported to the cabinet, as shown, so as to carry said sections when opened therefrom, entirely outside of said cabinet, the second bed section 4 interchangeably pivoted to the first section, asshown so thatit may be opened to the right or left, box 16 attached to the second section extending substantially the full length thereof and serving a two fold purpose, viz: as a receptacle for bedding or other like articles and a support for said section when unfolded, the cabinet open back and front and constructed of less depth than the folded sections, thus giving free access to said box or receptacle when said sections are closed therein. I

2. In a folding bed of the character described, the narrow skeleton cabinet 1 open back and front, narrow longitudinal bed sections 3 and 4 interchangeably hinged together as shown, so that one section may be unfolded to the right or left of the other section and the cabinet, folding foot and head boards in each section arranged to be locked together when opened, the longitudinal side rails of each bed section cutaway so as to afiord free circulation of air between the same when closed, box 16 arranged upon and substantially the same length of the upper section and serving both as a support therefor, when unfolded, and also as a receptacle for bedding or other like articles, the lower bed section 3 245 having extension at pivotally supported to shaft 5 of the cabinet, links 6 rigidly supported to said shaft, lifting rod 8 mounted in their free ends as shown, weight box 8 having elongated groove or slot g with which the said lifting rod of the links engage so as to move said box in a direct vertical line, removable weights therefor so as to readily balance the bed sections, stay pins upon which weights are placed to keep them in position, as set forth.

3. In a folding bed of the character described, the skeleton cabinet 1, open back and front as shown, folding bed sections 3 and 4 arranged to operate as shown, and arranged when folded and closed within the cabinet to project therefrom, both back and front, weight box 8 connected to and arranged to be operated by one of said bed sections, in the manner described and shown, side closets 2 on 6 said cabinet to hold the bed weights when not in use as well as other articles for which such closets may be adapted, all constructed to operate as set forth.

Signed at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this 9th day of February, A. D. 1893.

' 7 RICHARD T. BARTON. Witnesses:

JOHN C. GALLAGHER, GEo. D. PHILLIPS. 

